scholarly journals P083: Developing an interview guide to explore physicians perceptions about unmet palliative care needs in Albertas emergency departments

CJEM ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (S1) ◽  
pp. S86-S86
Author(s):  
M. Kruhlak ◽  
C. Villa-Roel ◽  
B. H. Rowe ◽  
P. McLane
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Initial Interview ◽  
Qualitative Researcher ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Pilot Work ◽  
Qualitative Component

Introduction: Many patients with advanced or end-stage diseases spend months or years in need of optimal physical, spiritual, psychological, and social care. Despite efforts to provide community care, those with severe illness often present to emergency departments (EDs). This abstract presents preliminary results on the qualitative component of an ED-based mixed methods pilot study. The objective of this qualitative component is to develop and test an interview guide to collect qualitative data on physicians perceptions about unmet palliative care (PC) and end of life care (EOLC) needs in EDs. Methods: A scan of the literature on PC and EOLC in EDs was conducted to develop propositions about what might be expected through the clinician interviews, as well as an interview guide. The interview guide will be piloted with up to four ED physicians. During the interview each physician will describe a case where a PC patient had unmet care needs and the impacts they believe these unmet needs had on patients and families. Interview transcripts will be coded descriptively and then conceptually themed by the researcher who conducted the interview. Interpretations drawn from the interview data, with supporting quotations and comparison to initial propositions, will be presented to members of the research team with experience providing ED care, for further interpretation. Advice of a second trained qualitative researcher will be sought on the richness and relevance of data obtained and how the interview guide could be improved to elicit richer and/or more relevant data. A revised interview guide will be produced alongside rationales for why the proposed revisions will elicit richer data. Results: After reviewing 27 articles on PC and EOLC, propositions and an initial interview guide were developed based on themes from the literature and the study groups experiences. One of the primary results of this pilot work will be an enhanced understanding of PC and EOLC in our local ED context, as reflected in an interview guide revised to elicit richer data than achieved through the initial interview guide. Conclusion: The comparison between our propositions and the study findings will help identify how biases may have influenced interview questions and/or the interpretation of the data. This pilot work to develop an interview guide enhances the rigour of this qualitative work on unmet PC and EOLC needs in EDs.

scholarly journals P072: Comparing met vs. unmet palliative care needs in patients with end-stage conditions presenting to two Canadian emergency departments

CJEM ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (S1) ◽  
pp. S89 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Garrido Clua ◽  
M. Kruhlak ◽  
S. Kirkland ◽  
C. Villa-Roel ◽  
A. Elwi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Return Visits ◽  
Met Needs ◽  
End Stage ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Patients with end-stage conditions require integrated physical, spiritual, psychological and social care. Despite efforts to provide comprehensive community care, those with severe symptoms often present to emergency departments (EDs) with palliative care (PC) needs. The objective of this study was to identify patients with end-stage diagnoses presenting to EDs, and to document and compare their PC needs. Methods: A four-month prospective cohort study was conducted in two Canadian EDs. Using a modified PC screening tool, volunteer emergency physicians identified adult patients with end-stage illnesses and documented their PC needs. This tool has the ability to classify patients as having met vs. unmet PC needs based on the documentation of risk factors. Research assistants documented demographic information, severity at presentation (Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale {CTAS}), disposition and revisits from an electronic repository. Bivariate comparisons between patients with met vs. unmet PC needs were completed. Results: Overall, 663 patients were enrolled, of which 78% (n = 518/663) were identified as having unmet PC needs according to the screening tool. Cancer was the most prevalent condition in each group (43% unmet needs, 37% met needs). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, sex or CTAS score. The unmet PC needs group was more likely to be admitted (68% vs. 50%; p = 0.0001) when compared to patients with PC needs assessed as being met. No significant difference was noted in terms of time to physician assessment or ED length of stay. The two groups did not significantly differ in the proportion of return visits within 30 days (34% vs. 32%) or the average number of return visits (3 vs. 2 visits). A higher proportion of patients with unmet PC needs made at least one visit to the ED in the 6 months prior to their index visit compared to patients with met PC needs (74% vs. 51%, p < 0.001); yet, the average number of ED visits was similar between the groups (3 visits). Conclusion: This study revealed that patients with end-stage diagnoses, especially cancer, commonly have unmet PC needs. They are also more likely to present to the ED and to require hospitalization than patients in whom PC needs have been met. Further investigations into their clinical profile and health care utilization may clarify the impact of their unmet PC needs on the healthcare system.

scholarly journals Palliative care in the emergency department as seen by providers and users: a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Di Leo ◽  
Sara Alquati ◽  
Cristina Autelitano ◽  
Massimo Costantini ◽  
Gianfranco Martucci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Quality Improvement Program ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
Palliative Care Needs

Abstract Background Much effort has been made to explore how patients with advanced chronic illness and their families experience care when they attend the Emergency Department, and many studies have investigated how healthcare professionals perceive Palliative Care provision in the Emergency Department. Various models exist, but nonetheless incorporating palliative care into the Emergency Department remains challenging. Considering both healthcare professionals’ and users’ perspective on problems encountered in delivering and receiving appropriate palliative care within this context may provide important insight into meaningful targets for improvements in quality of care. Accordingly, this study aims at exploring issues in delivering palliative care in the Emergency Department from the perspective of both providers and users, as part of a larger project on the development and implementation of a quality improvement program in Italian Emergency Departments. Methods A qualitative study involving focus group interviews with Emergency Department professionals and semi-structured interviews with patients with palliative care needs in the Emergency Department and their relatives was conducted. Both datasets were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Results Twenty-one healthcare professionals, 6 patients and 5 relatives participated in this study. Five themes were identified: 1) shared priorities in Emergency Department among healthcare professionals and patients, 2) the information provided by healthcare professionals and that desired by relatives, 3) perception of environment and time, 4) limitations and barriers to the continuity of care, and 5) the contrasting interpretations of giving and receiving palliative care. Conclusions This study provides insights into targets for changes in Italian Emergency Departments. Room for improvement relates to training for healthcare professionals on palliative care, the development of a shared care pathway for patients with palliative care needs, and the optimization of Emergency Department environment. These targets will be the basis for the development of a quality improvement program in Italian Emergency Departments.

Non-curative surgical oncology: postoperative needs and preferences

2021 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2020-002789
Author(s):  
Lene Seibæk ◽  
Henriette Vind Thaysen ◽  
Kirsten Elisabeth Lomborg
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Surgical Oncology ◽  
Peritoneal Metastases ◽  
Cancer Surgery ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Curative Surgery ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Research Interviews

ObjectiveWhen intended curative cancer surgery is not completed, the postoperative transition to palliative care represents a prognostic landmark to patients and their families. In patients referred for highly specialised surgery for peritoneal metastases from the intestinal tract and ovaries, surgery is not performed in approximately 25%. Still, little is known of their postoperative needs and preferences.MethodsWe performed 14 qualitative research interviews with 12 patients (four men and eight women, aged 41–85 years) undergoing surgery for peritoneal metastases; five of these were together with a relative. Five of the participants had ovarian, and seven had colorectal cancer (four men and seven women). The interviews followed a semistructured interview guide, were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using meaning condensation.ResultsPatients accepted the surgeon’s decision of refraining from the intended surgery. During the postoperative period, when realising the prognostic consequences, their needs changed rapidly, in some cases from day to day, and gradually they developed a reoriented focus on their lives. The findings were framed by two themes dealing with ‘Change in treatment strategy’ and ‘Physical and psychosocial aspects of not undergoing curative surgery’.ConclusionWhen curative cancer surgery is not completed as intended, patient-centred communication is essential for patients’ psychosocial reorientation and quality of life. Further, to support their well-being and action competences, patients have a need for basic supportive care and physical restitution. Finally, high-quality postoperative palliative care needs to be coordinated, which requires staff training and reorganisation of pathways.

Palliative Care Referral Interview Guide

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina W. Lee ◽  
C. Ann Vitous ◽  
Maria J. Silveira ◽  
Jane Forman ◽  
Lesly A. Dossett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Interview Guide

The support needs of parent caregivers of children with a life-limiting illness and approaches used to meet their needs: A scoping review

2020 ◽  
pp. 026921632096759
Author(s):  
Fenella J Gill ◽  
Zahraa Hashem ◽  
Roswitha Stegmann ◽  
Samar M Aoun
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
English Language ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Caregiver Support ◽  
Paediatric Palliative Care ◽  
Heterogenous Population ◽  
Parent Caregivers ◽  
The Individual

Background: Provision of paediatric palliative care is complex and optimally covers meeting the individual needs of a heterogenous population of children and their parent caregivers throughout a life-limiting illness. It is unclear whether existing approaches comprehensively address parent caregivers’ needs. Aim: To examine support needs of parents caring for children with life limiting illnesses and identify specific approaches used to identify and address needs. Design: A scoping review Data sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ProQuest Central, were searched for peer reviewed English language full text research published from 2008 to 2019. Study quality appraisal was undertaken. Fourteen quantitative, 18 qualitative and 12 mixed methods studies were synthesised and themed using summative content analysis and mapped to the Parent Supportive Care Needs Framework (PSCNF). Results: Themes were communication, choice, information, practical, social, psychological, emotional and physical. Communication and choice were central and additional to domains of the PSCNF. Unmet were needs for supporting siblings, for respite care, out of hours, psychological, home and educational support. Six articles reported using instruments to identify parent carer support needs. Conclusion: Support needs of parent caregivers of children with life limiting illnesses are substantial and heterogenous. While studies report evidence of burden and distress in parent caregivers, this rarely translates into improvements in practice through the development of interventions. A systematic and regular assessment of individual parent caregiver support needs is required by using instruments appropriate to use in clinical practice to move the focus to palliative care interventions and improved services for parents.

scholarly journals What makes palliative care needs “complex”? A multisite sequential explanatory mixed methods study of patients referred for specialist palliative care

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne M. Finucane ◽  
Connie Swenson ◽  
John I. MacArtney ◽  
Rachel Perry ◽  
Hazel Lamberton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Specialist Palliative Care ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Sequential Explanatory ◽  
Palliative Care Needs

Abstract Background Specialist palliative care (SPC) providers tend to use the term ‘complex’ to refer to the needs of patients who require SPC. However, little is known about complex needs on first referral to a SPC service. We examined which needs are present and sought the perspectives of healthcare professionals on the complexity of need on referral to a hospice service. Methods Multi-site sequential explanatory mixed method study consisting of a case-note review and focus groups with healthcare professionals in four UK hospices. Results Documentation relating to 239 new patient referrals to hospice was reviewed; and focus groups involving 22 healthcare professionals conducted. Most patients had two or more needs documented on referral (96%); and needs were recorded across two or more domains for 62%. Physical needs were recorded for 91% of patients; psychological needs were recorded for 59%. Spiritual needs were rarely documented. Referral forms were considered limited for capturing complex needs. Referrals were perceived to be influenced by the experience and confidence of the referrer and the local resource available to meet palliative care needs directly. Conclusions Complexity was hard to detail or to objectively define on referral documentation alone. It appeared to be a term used to describe patients whom primary or secondary care providers felt needed SPC knowledge or support to meet their needs. Hospices need to provide greater clarity regarding who should be referred, when and for what purpose. Education and training in palliative care for primary care nurses and doctors and hospital clinicians could reduce the need for referral and help ensure that hospices are available to those most in need of SPC input.

scholarly journals 96 Estimation of palliative care needs of people experiencing homelessness using mortality data and cause-of-death

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aoibheann Conneely ◽  
Jo-Hanna Ivers ◽  
Joe Barry ◽  
Elaine Dunne ◽  
Norma O’Leary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Palliative Care Needs

Palliative Referrals in Advanced Cancer Patients: Utilizing the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool and Rothman Index

2021 ◽  
pp. 104990912110178
Author(s):  
Abigail Sy Chan ◽  
Amit Rout ◽  
Christopher R. D.’Adamo ◽  
Irina Lev ◽  
Amy Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Inpatient Setting ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Early Palliative Care ◽  
Code Status ◽  
Palliative Care Needs

Background: Timely identification of palliative care needs can reduce hospitalizations and improve quality of life. The Supportive & Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) identifies patients with advanced medical conditions who may need special care planning. The Rothman Index (RI) detects patients at high risk of acutely decompensating in the inpatient setting. SPICT and RI among cancer patients were utilized in this study to evaluate their potential roles in palliative care referrals. Methods: Advanced cancer patients admitted to an institution in Baltimore, Maryland in 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, length of hospital stay (LOS), palliative care referrals, RI scores, and SPICT scores were obtained. Patients were divided into SPICT positive or negative and RI > 60 or RI < 60.Unpaired t-tests and chi-square tests were utilized to determine the associations between SPICT and RI and early palliative care needs and mortality. Results: 227 patients were included, with a mean age of 68 years, 63% Black, 59% female, with the majority having lung and GI malignancies. Sixty percent were SPICT +, 21% had RI < 60. SPICT + patients were more likely to have RI < 60 (p = 0.001). SPICT + and RI < 60 patients were more likely to have longer LOS, change in code status, more palliative/hospice referrals, and increased mortality (p <0.05). Conclusions: SPICT and RI are valuable tools in predicting mortality and palliative/hospice care referrals. These can also be utilized to initiate early palliative and goals of care discussions in patients with advanced cancer.

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